Shabtabnews In this dark night, I have lost my way – Arise from a corner, oh you the star of guidance.

Al-Monitor – President Joe Biden met Monday with the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, following reports that Iran asked for the Persian Gulf country’s help on a possible prisoner exchange with the United States. Qatar’s ruling emir is the first ​​Gulf leader to visit the White House since Biden took office last year. On Monday, he …

Al-Monitor – In a highly symbolic move, the Iranian Council of Ministers recently approved the opening of a Chinese consulate at Bandar Abbas, Iran’s main trading port and the capital of the coastal province of Hormozgan. While Tehran currently has three consulates in China, this will be the first for Beijing in Iran. This development is likely linked to the …

Shabtabnews – In a statement IOPHR warned about renewed death threats by the security elements of the Islamic Republic of Iran against the life of Dr. Seyed Mostafa Azmayesh and his family. The statement stated ” the instructive and anti-superstitious activities of Dr. Seyed Mostafa Azmayesh, who is a human rights activist, Islamologist, prominent jurist and an educator of Sufism …

RFL/RE – Hundreds of teachers are protesting across Iran to demand a fair pay, adjustment of pensions, and the release of their detained colleagues. The protests in dozens of cities follow two days of sit-ins in schools where teachers had reportedly gone on strike. On January 31, teachers staged a protest outside the parliament building in Tehran and in front of Education …

Iranwire – A principalist MP for Tehran has warned of “great social uprisings” in Iran in the coming year because of rising costs of living and non-investment in public services.  Ahmad Naderi was speaking in reaction to the Raisi administration’s controversial proposed budget for 2022-23, which allocates a relatively small amount to social services compared to large, unaccountable bodies like the …